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Considering
the name of this magazine it is opportune, before we initiate our
collaboration, to
write some considerations about the title - SÚRYA
Súrya
means Sun. It's a Sanskrit word, a dead language, Indo-European and very
old. One of the most ancient languages known. It's also the technical
language of Yôga.
Perhaps you don't feel surprised by such a choice as a name to
this publication, since it seems that Yôga and the martial arts from
the Far East have a common root. But we will come back to this theme in
future articles.
Súrya
it's the fire that heats and lights up, but also blinds and burns. Gives
life and destroy. From the fusion between the ocean and the sun life is
born. Life obtains their own energy from Súrya.
Súrya
has two aspects:
a) The first like Súrya - It's the one who provides heat, but it's also the one
who burns. It's the one that lights up, but it also blinds. It's the one
who gives life, but it also destroys it.
b) The second aspect is Savitur
- It's the power to give life. The basic power that motivates auto-superation.
It's also the Sun that we can contemplate at rising and sunset. It's to
this power that Gayatri Mantra
addresses to:
OM
BHUR BHUVA SVAHA
OM TAT SAVITURA VARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI
DHYO YO NAH PRACHODAYATO
Mantra
that, in one of many translations, may signify: «Pleasant light of Savitur, our vote is having you in us, like a guide for our
actions and thoughts.»
Súrya
is many times mentioned in Upanishada.
This word have is origin in sad,
to sit down. It means sitting down by master's feet, sit down near to
the master, because that was the way the knowledge was transmited.
The Upanishada are studies resulting from oral transmission from
masters to students, during millenniums, and the most ancient ones were
passed to written word in 800 b.C. There are about 112 Upanishada. They
include a great part of the philosophical teachings of Hinduism. They
use a poetical language. The oldest are Bhihad-Aranyaka and Chandogya.
In BHIHAD-ARANYAKA UPANISHADA the following references appear,
among others:
Súrya
is the light of man. «Is with the light of Súrya
that the man rests, rises, does his job and comes back.»
4.
3-4
«I
consider Súrya (...) like the lighting guide, the origin of all beings
on Earth.»
2.1.
1-20
In
ISA UPANISHADA the following references appear:
«Oh
Súrya life provider, product of the Lord of Creation, lonely
prophet from the skies! Spread your light and take off the splendour
that blinds, so that I can see your exultant shape (...).»
In
this text, there are references to the Savitur aspect of Súrya,
when the one that appeals said «spread your light and take off the
splendour that blinds.»
In KATHA UPANISHADA appear among others, the following
references:
«The
place from where rising Savitur
comes and goes; where all gods born and beyond whence nobody can go.»
«In
space he is Súrya, and is the wind
and the sky; in the altar he is a priest and is the soma in the jar. (...) He is the truth and the power.»
«Like
Súrya,
that observes the Earth is not touched by terrestrial impurities so does
the Spirit who inhabits all things, untouched by external sufferings.»
«Súrya
does not shine there, neither Chandra,
nor stars; the gleam of flashes does not shine there, and terrestrial
fire still less.»
«Fearing
him the fire burns and by fearing him Súrya
shines. Fearing him the clouds, the winds and even dead follow
his way.»
In PRASNA UPANISHADA appear among others, the following
references:
«Súrya
is life and Chandra
is matter. All that has shape, solid or subtle, is matter, and so, shape
is matter.
In
the morning when rising Savitura enters the skies
by the Orient, it bathes with his light all life that exists in the
Orient, and then in the South, Occident and North, and all the sky is
illuminated by that light that gives life to all lifes.»
«Súrya
rise up in golden splendour! Súrya
of a thousand rays keeping loyal to one hundred regions; the omniscient
god, the target of all prayers; the supreme light and fire, the eternal
life of all beings.»
«Still
everyone that, in his inner search, follows the Northern way with
firmness, purity, faith and wisdom, finds the regions
of Súrya.»
«But
those who haven't malice, lie or bad faith, who live in firmness, purity
and truth, they own the resplendent regions of Súrya.»
«Life
is the burning fire, is Súrya
the light donor.»
«Just
like the rays of the setting Savitura,
before the falling of darkness, appear to become only one in their light
circle, while by the time of rising Savitura
they will all spread away, so do the powers of senses convert in one by
the superior power of mind.»
«But
if, with the three sounds of the eternal OM, he will support his mind in
meditation in the Supreme Being, then he will attain the regions of Súrya
light.»
In SVETASVATARA UPANISHADA the following references appear, among
others:
«I
sing the hymns of ancient times with adoration: should my personal hymns
follow the way of Súrya.»
«There
is a place beyond darkness where night and day exist no more, neither
what is or is not. Only Shiva stands there, the god of love. It's the
region of the glorious splendour of god, from whom Súrya's
light came and from where, in the beginning, the ancient's wisdom came.»
In MAITRI UPANISHADA the following references appear, among
others:
«That
one who is within Súrya, and within the
fire, and within a man's heart is unique. Everyone who knows this is one
with the unique.»
6.17
«Glory
be to Aditya, the god of Súrya,
who lives in heaven and remembers this world. Give this world to the one
who adores you.»
6.35
In TAITTIRIYA UPANISHADA the following references appear, among
others:
«I
am the food who eats the food eater.
«I
exceeded the universe, and the light of Súrya
is my light.»
3.10.6
The previous references are not exhaustive, and they don't intend
to be, but allow us to verify the importance of Súrya,
in Hindu tradition.
Considering the theme of this article - Súrya
- some comments will fit here concerning the oldest Yôga ásana
- the Súrya
Namaskara. Ásana is
the physical technique of Yôga. Ásana
are the psychophysical positions.
We don't intend to describe all the sequence of execution,
because there are many publications about Yôga who did it, and also
because the execution of an ásana
must be learned from a Yôga Master and not by an article. So we
shall transcribe a portion of a text, not published, of a conference
given by us -Yôganidrá.
Relaxation Technique - in
1997:
SÚRYA
NAMASKARA
This
practice is an ancient vestige of the way Yôga was practised. It was
practiced in a continuous way, without tight stops between each one of
the ásana. Here follow the
sketches concerning the sequence according to which it should be
executed.
Some
comments must be joined about Súrya
Namaskara, to better understanding of his basis and symbolism,
according to the precepts of the Tantra/Samkhya:
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Purusha
- Is the uncaused cause. Everything's origin. It's the
unmanifested. It's the MahaPralaya
moment - the great night of cosmic dissolution. All is
immobility. The position itself conducts to stability. The
Universe as we know it was not yet created.
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The
beginning of all happens. Damaru,
Shiva's drum, has vibrated. The inspiration is the vibration
that originates the alternating rhythm: union/opposition; prana/apana;
work/rest. The caused cause manifests. Shakti moves. The
Universe expands, during some time, defining a space.
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Shakti
manifests in conscious forms and in less conscious ones. Prana
expands itself in every direction. Matter and rhythm appear.
Space and time exists. Everything is possible. All ways are
open. All is probable, but is necessary to choose.
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From
independence and acting power he passes to decadence. Searches
the limits of less conscious shapes. He defines the connection
between what exists above and downward. It's near to reach the
limits from where he can expand no more. He's about to reach
the limit.
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Continue
to explore the reachable bounds of space and time.
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Hands
are tied. Less conscious state is reached. The earth link
increases. It's a passage between two states. Between
extension and contraction. Symbolically one could say that the
Sun came down from the sky.
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This
state represents the earth in his passive aspect. The shadow
invades the earth. The conscious level is minimum. It's the
abandonment of the body over the earth. It's the abandonment
consciousness. It's the night and passivity.
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The
underground world. The snake who lives in the entrails of the
world - Kundaliní. The earth entrails keep the secrets of the
ancient people. The snake is an archetype of life. It's a
symbol of the paradox, because it symbolises at the same time:
a) - ignorance/ no conscious state; b) - science and old
knowledge, that the man lose, that Shakti lose in the
foundation. It contains the idea of life's potential. The
earth gives shape to everything, gives life to everything
inert. And makes the return possible.
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Rebirth
happens. It's the passage between two states: unconsciousness
/beginning of consciousness. Symbolises the creative power,
feminine. Symbolises also the granthi
triangle.
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The
return, the ascension. The progress after decline symbolises
the intervention of the will. A systematic and disciplined
will.
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During
the return vertical extension happens.
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The
return to unity is near. The union with the one that is unique
is near.
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The
end of times is near. The beginning of a new cosmic night -MahaPralaya,
approaches...
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Duality
ceased. Shiva and Shakti are joined. It's the beginning and
the end of all.
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And, for the time being, we end this matter.
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